Going To Champions Home Exhibition

THE CHAMP!


Tonight I get to see the Major League Baseball Champion San Francisco Giants play their first game at home since their World Series win in game two over the Texas Rangers. No, I wasn't at that game, but I watched every damn morsel of their cinderella run to the championship.

Damn......Its So Good To Be The Champ!

update: Giants Beat A's 4-3.

Book Review: Famous Libel and Slander Cases

A Democratic Right Of Speech
By W. Powell -

This little booklet details seven famous libel and slander cases throughout history, beginning with Socrates. The writing gets a bit litigous at times, but anyone with the equivalent of a high school diploma can follow the cases.

This book is important in that it shows us how thankful we should be to those in the past who sacrificed themselves in courts of law so that future generations could enjoy freedoms of expression in a free democratic society. While reading the case of libel against Thomas Cooper I was made aware of the Amercian Sedition Act of 1798 and the alien laws of that period.

Mr. Cooper, newspaper editor, politician and scientist, took a stand against charges of libel for printing articles thought damaging to then president of the United States, John Adams. Mr. Cooper's decision to fight the charges of libel was not because he wasn't guilty under the law, but that he felt any law making it criminal to question the capacity of a President to carry out his functions as commander in chief, was a tyrannical law in a democracy.

Did you know that in 1800 you could be fined and jailed for saying or printing anything that put the President of the U.S. in a bad light? Mr. Cooper knew this and yet and still he challenged the law that forbid his right to say and print what he felt was the public's right to know.

This book reminds me of a famous quote I once heard somewhere: "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."


Know Your First Amendment Rights and Those Who Defended it.
First Collier Books Edition 1962 (paperback)

WIll The Real Cinderfella Please Stand Up

Move the hell over Butler Bulldogs, the Virgnia Commonwealth Rams are crashing the final four as a #11 seed looking to get the girl, the watch and the gold ring.

VCU stunned #1 seed Kansas Jayhawks with a barrage of three pointers, outstanding guard play and hustle defense in what may go down as the BIGGEST UPSET in NCAA Tournament history.

They'll go to the semifinals in Houston,Tx. to face the #8 seed Bulldogs of Butler, who've also made believers of many doubters, to see who's fairy godfather brewed the better potion.

Here's the incredible part about VCU; with the tournament expanding to 68 teams, VCU played an additional game, one they weren't expected to win.

I don't know about you, but I'm clearing my calendar for April 2nd, 6:09PM ET. That's when two cindefellas will tip-off to see which stays on the ballroom dance floor and which must leave the ball immediately and stumble home in one sneaker, a brokendown ride and ugly stepbrothers waiting to torment them about their loss.

The Madness of March can be so rewarding, and yet so cruel.

Best Of Oakland Raiders 2010-11

This youtube video has to be the best in quality and content of the Oakland Raiders 2010 football season. The plays, the fans and the accompanying music make for a creative collage of silver and black highlights.

Based on how the NFL players and owners contract talks are going, I'd say we better soak in all the good stuff from last season, because it could be a time before we see the real deal again.

Inside Job - Oscar Worthy Documentary

Chris Ferguson, producer and director of the movie "Inside Job" spoke at the commonwealth club. He breaks down how Synthetic CDO's and other unethical investment practices, allowed Goldman Sachs and other banking institutions to market an investment package and then bet heavily against its success .

The Financial Crisis was an inside job.

A Fredo Moment

Butler Coach Wanted

If you were around watching the MLB baseball playoffs in 2003 then you know the unfortunate story of Chicago native Steve Bartman and his cursed Cubs.


Steve Bartman, after interfering with a questionably catchable foul ball at Wrigley Field, was blamed for the Cubs losing the game and series. He was a marked man in Chicago and Cubs fans still claim to want a piece of him.

When I opened my newspaper this morning and saw a picture of Butler Basketball Coach Brad Stevens, I thought I'd found the wanted man and was ready to collect the reward. After all, my California lottery ticket didn't pan out in last night's $300 milllion-dollar drawing. I figured this must be God's way of opening one door after another has closed.

But this post isn't about past frustrations, oh no. This post is to congratulate Coach Bartman......I mean Coach Stevens for guiding his squad past #2 seed Florida in an elite-8 classic. The Butler Bulldogs will advance to the Final Four once more, and coach Stevens is at this moment the hottest coach on the planet. With defense and a collective calm while weathering many storms, the #8 seed Butler Bulldogs survived overtime to celebrate a 74-71 victory.

Meanwhile, Cubs fans are on the case and requesting proof of Brad Stevens personal, as well as professional history. After all, the Bartman was a little league baseball coach at the time of his......crime against humanity.

Catch Butler coach Brad Stevens as he heads to the NCAA Final Four

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=310850057

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/26/SPTB1IJSU4.DTL

FoodMatters - A Must See

I wrote this review after watching this "must-see" documentary about food. Its basic message is very clear; you are what you eat. Discovering that foods we eat can be poisonous, then learning that medicines we take can be poisonous, its no wonder so many people in one of the richest countries ever are suffering from health related issues.

Here's my take after watching this thought provoking documentary:


Foodmatters
DVD ~ Andrew W. Saul

Ingest This Important Healthcare Information, March 16, 2011

This movie is about taking direct action toward curing illness and living healthier lives through nutritional eating and vitamins. I don't know how anyone could view the information shared as quackery. What "FoodMatters" teaches viewers is that what we eat is directly related to our health. The part that will blow you away is the revelation that prescribed and over the counter medicines can be posioneous to our health.

In these times of unaffordable healthcare its comforting to learn that we can limit and possibly prevent serious illness by educating ourselves on proper nutrition. But to benefit from the information and methods shared in this documentary will take a concentrated effort by those willing to follow the advice. The choice is all yours.

I noticed that unlike the many medicine and drug advertisments aired nonstop on television, good nutrition does not use scare tactics to prove its curing effects. Good nutrition proves itself by awarding you with a healthier happier life. Foodmatters is not trying to sell you anything. Its a healing program that'll open your eyes if you haven't already crowned your doctor a messiah.

Invest in your health, its the one commodity that cannot be bought with dollars or replaced when broken.

Tai Chi Chuan

The Spaniard

In the sport of boxing there's one true means by which to measure the effectiveness of a boxer's skills. That being, can he knock MoFo's out? Its not a matter of putting on a pugilistic clinic so much as overpowering his enemy that gives boxers indestructible reputations.

Fans in the past crowded around to watch Iron Mike Tyson not because of his footwork or clever use of the ring. Folks enjoyed watching Mike simply because he knocked Mofo's out. It was quick and it was brutal. There was no "sweet science" in the method of Mike Tyson. Brute force entered the ring, brute force laid out its opponent then left the ring. End of story. Those were the days.

I don't think we'll ever see another Mike Tyson. But tonight I saw a boxer who mixes both speed and power with a brute sort of force. His style is a bit unorthodox yet he measures up to what we see as pound-for-pound greatness. Tonight the commentators pointed out his ability to "out jab the jabber" in beating an opponent, who's known for his superior jabbing skills, to the punch. They also compared his juking style and handspeed to that of Roy Jones, Jr. Just so happens that Roy was in the booth and agreed with the comparion, taking it as a compliment.

The boxer with such enduring stamina, lightening quickness and knockout power in both hands hails from Argentina and now resides in Oxnard, California. He defended his WBC Middleweight Championship belt against Ukrainian challenger Sergiy Dzindziruk. He won by TKO in round 8 after knocking Dzindziruk down 5 times in the fight. He showed yet again his courageous fearlessness in going after his opponent with unbridled abandon.

His two previous fights against Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams both ended with crushing knockouts of the two. Knockouts you'll find on any of boxing's best of the year highlights. Ring Magazine named him their 2010 Fighter of the Year. After seeing him tonight I'd have to agree with ring magazine. With each knockout it seems he gains more confidence. After his win tonight he welcomed as challengers Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

So who's this Argentine boxer I've labeled "The Spaniard?"

He's thirty-six year old Sergio Martinez. He's a champion who's hungry to show that he belongs in the ring with the best. There's something I see in the spaniard that makes me think one day he'll shock the boxing world. Maybe his will to win is so strong because he's past the prime age for boxing. Whatever it is that drives the spaniard with such a vengeance, it sure has us boxing fans craving for more. We simply can't wait to see him knockout the next MoFo!

Sergio Gabriel Martinez

47 Wins

26 Knockouts

2 Losses

2 Draws

0 No Contests

Iowa Cycloned By Marist Women's Squad

The 10th seeded Marist Red Foxes dominated their first round NCAA tournament opponent Iowa State, winning 74-64. The Cyclones came in as a No. 7 seed, but that didn't phase the Red Foxes who now sport a 27-game winning streak and move on to face the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils.

This just shows that the NCAA can't possibly get all the seedings right when putting together a national college tournament.

Many around college women's basketball thought that Marist should have been ranked higher and Iowa State lower. Their meeting in Durham, N.C. today, with a half-time score of 40-25 favoring Marist, put a reverse spin on the ranking system as it was Iowa State that played with potential upset aspirations while Marist simply played like...............Red Foxes; smart and cunning with hightened defensive instincts.

Congratulations Marist On Your First Round Victory. Now ignore the rankings and go slay us some Blue Devils.


Marist is a "Independent Coeducational Liberal Arts College" with 5,000 students on its Poughkeepsie, New York main campus overlooking the historic hudson river and valley. The area is full of breathtaking scenic views during the fall season foilage.

This Is Madness!

Listen, and understand. Its out there.

It can't be bargained with.

It can't be reasoned with.

It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear.

And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until...

NCAA March Madness is in full swing and the basketball games are whipping by at a terminating pace. There's something for everyone when it comes to college basketball; upsets, controversial calls, buzzer beaters and true cinderella stories. Its a basketball marathon and the last one dancing gets the glory. And we get to watch it all.

So don't let go of that remote control or you might not get it back from your sweetie. Unless of course you talked her into filling out a bracket. Trust me, it works!

PITT

They Wanna Fock With Us Fans!

Does the NFL think we fans are going to take this football strike lying down? I say we fans should Organize and Financially Terrorize any and all businesses affiliated in any way with the NFL.

I've been calmly praying and hoping that the NFL owners and its players would come to terms and work out a deal. I figured there's enough money to go around for all, its just a matter of agreeing to how they'll slice it up. Then when I got my season ticket renewal request, reminding me how much I annually contribute to these clowns, I got angry.

The NFL is billing me months in advance for a product they cannot deliver today. Ever buy something from a television or newspaper ad where they guarantee satisfaction or your money back? Isn't there always a catch? Well fellow fans, the NFL appears to be doing just that this season; marketing a flawed product with no concern for the sucker placing the order.

What fans need to remember is this: Much of that Pie owners and players will be slicing into is OUR money. Through contracts, sponsors and affiliates fans are supporting NFL owners and players without even buying a ticket to the game.

I came across an article by Susan Milligan on USNEWS website titled:

Football Fans and NFL Cities Should Go On Strike

I chose to comment on the article and share it here with Raider Nation and all football fans. If we have to suffer a loss, they should suffer a loss. Yes, an eye for an eye is what's in order for this situation. Below is my comment:

I agree that fans should hit the owners and players where it hurts, in their pockets. I learned years ago a strategy of protest that might just work here.

Most owners and many players are owners, partners or investors in other businesses. If fans put together a list of businesses associated with NFL owners and players, they can boycott the products of those businesses.

You think sponsors dropped Tiger Woods like a hot potato, wait'll affiliated businesses of the NFL see a drop in sales and investments. Watch as television & satellite affiliates begin suing the NFL because Fans are cancelling subscriptions due to the NFL's negligent behavior.

There's more fans than owners and players, it would definitely get their attention. We fans have much more power than we realize. The key is to organize and act with a tactical purpose.

Boycott NFL Products and affiliated businesses. Organize!

Singer/Songstress Lizz Wright

From Lizz Wright's Album "The Orchard"
Flamenco, Jazz and Blues Intertwined

The Smartest Woman I Know

Ever hear somone talking, whether in person or on televison or radio, and it dawns on you just how smart the person is? Kinda makes you wonder if your own intelligence quotient might be lower than you'd proudly thought, maybe closer to the level of a let's say........ Fredo Corleone of The Godfather fame? Well I had one of those moments while listening to international economist Dr. Dambisa Moyo.

A former consultant for the World Bank and former emerging markets investment banker at Goldman Sachs, Moyo was named by Time Magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World

Dr. Moyo was born in Zambia and educated abroad in the West. Her accent and look almost resemble what I thought that of entertainer Mary J. Blige. She's hip and has a sleek feminine body that can wear out a taut fitting dress or business suit. Yes, Dr. Moyo's got style. But unlike so many of our stylish covergirls of today its her Intelligence, not her looks, that she is known and praised for.

Now and then while up early in the AM hours I'll listen to a radio broadcast of the San Francisco Common wealth club's guest speaker for the evening. Yeah, I know, what's the commonwealth got to do with sports? Nadda! But for us Fredo's of the world we don't come up short for lack of effort. We can sometimes hear "Smaart."

I tuned in this morning and heard this Brooklyn-British accented woman break down the state of global economics along with the past, present and future of Western economies. Though she used some words we may only find in a mathamatician's dictionary, her delivery was down to earth and decipherable to the most challenged of Fredo's tuning in. Okay, maybe not all of it.

A New York Times Best Selling author, Dr. Moyo was in San Francisco in Feb. 2011, to discuss the content of her second book; "How The West Was Lost." She points out how China has become a manufacturing colossus and their products are admired and welcomed throughout Africa. She's a great teacher and breaks it all down. She's also been on the inside of the financial institutions.

I'm sure there are many smart and beautiful women in the world doing their parts to bring awareness and new ideas to the masses, but Dr. Dambisa Moyo appeals to that Fredo Corleone part of me, who when not throwing down shots and chasing skirts in Las Vegas with Mo Green, enjoys listening to a good early morning radio talk on current events and issues.

Click on links below to listen to Flora.TV broadcast of Dr. Dambisa Moyo:

Dead Aid (highlights of the hoover institution series)
Dr. Moyo argues that foreign aid has harmed Africa and that it should be phased out. The book offers proposals for developing countries to finance development, instead of relying on foreign aid. She argues that foreign aid helps perpetuate the cycle of poverty and hinders economic growth in Africa

How The West Was Lost (Commonwealth club)
Moyo daringly claims that the West can no longer afford to simply regard global up-and-comers as menacing gatecrashers. In a world where Western economies hover on the brink of recession while emerging economies post double-digit growth rates, Moyo calls out the economic myopia of the West and the radical solutions that it needs to adopt to salvage its global economic power

Showing Dodgers What Champions Look Like

The World Series Champion San Francisco Giants overcame a Andre Ethier bases loaded triple today in a comeback win over their Los Angeles Dodgers rival.

The Champions are still on fire, with the best MLB record (13-4) of spring training. Beating the Dodgers is always special, I don't care what the circumstances. But to do it with smashing long balls and comeback scoring against the bums in blue in the ninth inning is just awesome.

If you haven't seen Pat "The Bat" Burrell's two run blast you're cheating yourself. His swing definitely has a Will "The Thrill" Clark flavor to it. Cody Ross had two out of the park home runs as well as the Giants gave the Dodgers a preview of what to expect come this season.

Final
LA 7
SF 8

CHUCKY"S BACK!

Not the old Chuckster Jon Gruden, but the Seed of Chucky is named the Oakland Raiders Defensive Coordinator.

Chuck Bresnahan returns to the Raiders after stints with the Cincinnati Bengals and the United Football League's Florida Tuskers. In three seasons his Bengals defenses never ranked higher than 25th in yards allowed, a definite concern. His Tusker teams went to the two UFL championship games, losing both times to the Las Vegas Locos.

From 2000-2003, Seed of Chucky was sprouting under Gruden as Defensive Coordinator of a Raiders team that dominated mostly with an offensive juggernaut comprised of legendary weapons. His last game with the Oakland Raiders was that Super Bowl down I-5 South that we all choose to forget.

So we'll have to wait and see this season if former DC Jon Marshall will be sorely missed or barely a memory in the eyes of fans as Chucky leads the defense into battle.

Welcome Back Chucky!

Oakland Raiders San Diego Smash 2010

Week 7 Oakland Raiders vs Denver Broncos 10-24-2010 HD Highlights


Oakland Raiders top 10 of 2010

DMAC 2010-11 Highlights

Get Rich Slick - OIL

CHEVRON Corporation and the South American indigenous peoples of Ecuador are in the final rounds of their fistfight, a fight that never should have taken place.

Why? Because an Ecuadoran court has already ruled against Chevron and in favor of the Ecuadoreans. The judgment was for $9.6 billion dollars. The court could have imposed $28 billion.

But when you're a big bullying oil corporation with multinational business contacts and loads of money for buying international justice, GUILTY verdicts are technicalities to be ridiculed, downplayed, ignored then finally twisted into a shyster's legal term: Shakedown.

Here's the skinny:

30,000 Ecuadoreans sued Chevron for extensive environmental damage caused by 20 years (1972-1992) of oil drilling operations, which have sickened thousands of Ecuadorians and polluted the Amazon rainforest. Since 1993, lawyers representing local residents have sought to force former well operator Texaco and its now parent company Chevron Corporation to clean the area known as the Lago Agrio oil field and to provide for the care of those allegedly affected.

Texaco claimed that in 1995 the Ecuadorean government, a oil drilling partner with a 25% interest in the partnership, released them from further liability after Texaco agreed to clean a number of waste pits in proportion to its interest in the partnership, at a cost of $40 million. Numerous sources show the remediation efforts to have been largely cosmetic.


We could say that this is just the unfortunate repercussion of a poor country getting in bed with a shysty Oil drilling business. The old biblical term "you reap what you sow" prophetically comes to mind.

The really scary part of it all is the P-O-W-E-R the oil companies have and their influence over international litigating parties. Any person, government or formed group such as a corporation should be made accountable for their actions in a court of law, or else what good is law other than to serve the powerful in oppression and control of the powerless.

Is it possible the legal courts worldwide are on the take?

American U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman in New Orleans ordered federal regulators to act on seven drilling permit applications this past week, overturning a presidential moratorium on deepwater drilling after BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. President Obama's administration has appealed Feldman's order and filed court documents paving the way for regulators to deny such applications.

From Judgepedia.org:
After the ruling by Feldman, his investments and stocks were analyzed, showing that in 2009 he held stocks of companies that would be affected by his ruling. Judge Feldman insists that he found out about these holdings on June 21, and contacted his broker to sell them on the morning of June 22. According to the Wall Street Journal, "Under federal law, federal judges are prohibited from deciding cases in which they have financial interests in the parties or the outcome of the case. They are also prohibited from deciding cases in which there is the appearance of a conflict." [6] Because of the questions surrounding the status of his financial holdings, environmental groups have asked that Feldman recuse himself from the case and suspend his ruling. [7]

Feldman announced that he will not recuse himself from the case, saying, "The motion for disqualification is without merit." [8]

In the infamous words of Malcolm X: "Chickens Coming Home To Roost"

Huffington Post: Ecuador Another Victory

Raiderlegend: The Devil's Excrement

Chevron Guilty

Activist Tim Christopher Disrupts Oil Deal

Shock Corridor - Superbly Acted 1963 Drama

This classic black and white drama directed by Sam Fuller is still powerful and moving. Its productions like "Shock Corridor" that keep me reaching back to the silver screen era of my parents to quench my thirst for tasty movie watching.

Here's my amazon.com review for this classic:

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Black Man Convincingly Plays Role Of Racist Southerner

This review is from: Shock Corridor - Criterion Collection (DVD)

This movie just may be too "Shocking" for many viewers, even nearly fifty years after its release. Director Sam Fuller touches on many American taboos as usual, with the main theme being mental illness. When I saw Fuller's controversial movie "White Dog," its 1982 release of which was suppressed by paramount pictures, I knew him to be a man marching to the beat of his own drum.

In Shock Corridor, Fuller uses a sane journalist to expose the insane issues that haunt America's past, present and future. He accomplishes this by placing the undercover journalist inside a mental institution, faking insanity while trying to find a killer inside the place. While tactfully gathering evidence from mental patients about the killing, the journalist gets acquainted with the men and the societal issues that led to their being committed to the "hospital."

The humor in this movie is one that makes you laugh to keep from bursting out in tears. A forerunner to "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest." To see a Black man so damaged by society's racism that he insanely believes himself to be a southern White racist, is so sad and yet so convincing in the directorship of Sam Fuller. Watch this movie for that performance if for no other, simply because you'll never see it anywhere else. You'll learn how thin the thread of sanity is and how easily it can snap under pressure.

A great movie that will hopefully one day get its full share of masterpiece recognition.

San Jose Sharks Lurking In NHL Waters

The Bay Area's San Jose Sharks are in the midst of a seven game winning streak. They are leading the Pacific Division and second only to the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference.

Its time to start supporting our Sharks as they hit the home stretch of the NHL hockey season. We know they've disappointed in recent playoffs, but with the San Francisco Giants showing all Bay Area teams how to bring home the hardware, this could be the year of the Sharks.

I must admit, I haven't watched one hockey game all season and I couldn't name a Sharks player if you tied me down and tortured me. But I know the team and the fans are hungering for a Stanley Cup and the time is ripe in the Bay Area for them to deliver it.

Puck the Red Wings.

Let's Go Sharks!

Season Finish Playoffs
2005–06 2nd, Pacific Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2-4 (Oilers)
2006–07 2nd, Pacific Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2-4 (Red Wings)
2007–08 1st, Pacific Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2-4 (Stars)
2008–09 1st, Pacific Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Ducks)
2009–10 1st, Pacific Lost in Conference Finals, 0-4 (Blackhawks)
2010–11 Championship?

The First Thing You're Given In Heaven? A Mirror

This cartoon depicting Michael Jackon's arrival in heaven was controversial in its disrespect toward an American music icon. But we should pray that heaven overlooks our earthly shortcomings, whatever they may be, and that it has a humorous side in accepting all of us imperfect sinners.

Here's a poem my sister received from my brother and passed on to me. It shows that we should be less judgmental about the sins of others and more focused on the forgiveness of our own.:

I was shocked, confused, bewildered

As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,

Nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven

Who made me sputter & gasp--
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,

The alcoholics & the trash.

There stood the kid from 7th grade

Who swiped my lunch money twice!
Next to him was my old neighbor

Who never said anything nice!

Herb, who I always thought

was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud 9,

Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus,"What's the deal"?

I would love to hear your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?

God must've made a mistake.

And why is everyone so quiet,

So somber-give me a clue.
"Hush, child" He said "

They're all in shock!! No one thought

they'd be seeing YOU"!!!!~

Every Saint has a past....Every sinner has a Future~ (Judge Not)